Prince George, BC – The Northern Collaborative Baccalaureate Nursing Program (NCBNP), which is a partnership among the University of Northern British Columbia, the College of New Caledonia and Northwest Community College, has received accreditation from the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN).

This accreditation assesses registered nursing education against national standards of excellence. It involved on-site reviews at each of the schools to evaluate the faculty, curriculum, operations and student success. 

The first two years of the NCBNP are delivered by the College of New Caledonia or Northwest Community College, with the final two years delivered by the University of Northern British Columbia. The program is offered in Quesnel, Prince George or Terrace for all four years, with graduates receiving a UNBC degree upon completion.

“Nursing is one of the most popular programs we have at UNBC, and knowing that our program meets the rigorous requirements of CASN ensures our graduates will provide high quality care as registered nurses to the people of northern BC,” says UNBC President Daniel Weeks. “These types of flagship programs only reinforce UNBC’s place as Canada’s best small university.”

“Congratulations to everyone involved in this achievement,” says CNC President Henry Reiser. “As post-secondary educators, we are all committed to providing quality education for the benefit of our students and are pleased to offer successful pathways through collaborations such as this one.”

"Our Northern Collaborative Baccalaureate Nursing Program continues to be a tremendous success,” adds Ken Burt, President and CEO of Northwest Community College. “This is in part due to the hardworking faculty who provide this specialized training, and in part because of the unique perspective that graduates develop around support for northern communities.

UNBC’s School of Nursing develops nurses who are prepared to meet the complex care needs of individuals in regional, rural and remote communities of the North. Innovative and practice-based programs of study are available at the undergraduate level including the (NCBNP), a Post-Diploma program, and a provincial practice-driven Rural Nursing Certificate Program. Multiple options are available for individuals wishing to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MScN) degree, including a professional/academic stream and a Family Nurse Practitioner stream.

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